The Occupational Transition Process to Upper Secondary School, Further Education and/or Work in Sweden: As Described by Young Adults with Asperger Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2017-03, Vol.47 (3), p.667-679
• Main Authors: Baric, Vedrana Bolic, Hemmingsson, Helena, Hellberg, Kristina, Kjellberg, Anette
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Accommodations (Disabilities); Adult; Adult Education; Asperger Syndrome; Asperger Syndrome - psychology; Asperger's syndrome; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder/attention deficit disorder; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic persons; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Care and treatment; Career education; Career transitions; Child and School Psychology; College Readiness; Community Involvement; Community Relations; Compulsory Education; Continuing education; Day centres; Day Programs; Education; Education Work Relationship; Employment; Executive Function; Family Role; Female; Foreign Countries; Hermeneutics; Humans; Information Processing; Interpersonal Relationship; Job Skills; Labor Market; Language Impairments; Male; Methods; Middle Schools; Municipalities; Neurosciences; Occupational therapy; Original Paper; Pedagogics and Educational Sciences; Pedagogik och Utbildningsvetenskap; Pediatrics; Professional Personnel; Psychology; Public Health; Qualitative Research; School to work transition; Schools; Secondary Education; Secondary Schools; Semi Structured Interviews; Services; Social Skills; Students; Sweden; Time Management; Training; Transition; Transitional Programs; Unemployment; Vocational Education; Work Experience; Workplaces; Young Adult; Young Adults
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-016-2986-z

The aim was to describe the occupational transition process to upper secondary school, further education and/or work, and to discover what support influences the process from the perspectives of young adults with Asperger syndrome or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This qualitative study was performed in Sweden and comprised interviews with 15 young adults recruited from community based day centres. Support influencing the process included: occupational transition preparation in compulsory school, practical work experience in a safe environment, and support beyond the workplace. The overall understanding shows that the occupational transition process was a longitudinal one starting as early as in middle school, and continuing until the young adults obtained and were able to remain in employment or further education.